


Who Says You Can't Go Home?

by UglySandwich



Category: Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Short Chapters, Slice of Life, Some Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2019-11-28 23:35:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18215177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UglySandwich/pseuds/UglySandwich
Summary: Varian’s mother suddenly comes back into his life, with news that they all might be in danger. To make things even stranger, Quirin’s amber tomb fell apart. Varian and his little family are having a hard time adjusting to having two more people around, but they’ll be fine.Based on a storyline that my friend and my partner and I are roleplaying. This has nothing to do with my series “I Don’t Want You Like A Best Friend.”





	1. Here Comes The Flynnoleum!

Horses and narrow paths never went well together. A black stallion nervously walked with one hoof crossed in front of the other, trying to avoid poison ivy out in the woods.

The cloaked figure riding him patted his neck. “You know I have the antidote for that stuff, right?” she asked. “I’m sorry I took you through the woods, I thought it would be faster. We’re almost out, keep going.”

* * *

 

“Come on, Genevive. I’m really trying here.” Cassandra sighed, before repeating for the thousandth time that morning, “Here comes the carriage!” She thrusted a spoonful of peas out towards baby Genevive, but the baby flung the spoon away at the last second.

Varian, who’d been washing the dishes, picked up the spoon and got some fresh peas. “Here comes the Flynnoleum!” He smirked as his daughter opened her mouth to let him feed her. “See Cass? You just have to do it the way she likes it.”

“I guess. Ugh, is it going to be Flynnoleum for the rest of the time I’m feeding her? When she was drinking formula I didn’t have to do this,” Cassandra said with a scowl. “Fine. Here comes the Uranium-“

“No!” Genevive shouted, smacking the spoon again and sending it flying across the room. Peas fell to the floor and joined the hundreds of others scattered there too. The high chair was a throne, and royal baby Genevive was going to get what she wanted- and she wanted Flynnoleum.

“Fine, here comes the Flynnoleum,” Cassandra tried again, holding out the retrieved spoon. Much to her dismay, the spoon ended up on the floor yet again. “Varian, I think she just likes you more.”

“Nonsense. Who wouldn’t like you?” The man in question asked, stopping by again to hand his wife the spoon.

She rolled her eyes and took it, dunking it back in the jar of peas. “Most people after learning I curse and yell in my third trimester.”

“I think that’s adorable. It’s like a kitten trying to roar.” He rested his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around hers, guiding her hands. “You just have to be sincere. You have to believe it’s a carriage, or an element, or she won’t.” Then, he held out the spoon to Genevive. “Here comes the carriage full of Flynnoleum!”

To Cassandra’s surprise, the baby ate it.

Cassandra beamed. “What a good girl! You make your mama proud! Two more spoonfulls and we’re done!”

That’s when through the open window, Varian and Cassandra could hear the clopping of hooves. They looked at each other and both shrugged.

“I wasn’t expecting any visitors,” Varian mentioned. “I’ll check the door, you finish feeding Genna.” He walked off into the foyer, leaving Cassandra to finish what she started.

At the door was a woman, unusually tall. She had wrinkles, faded eyes and silver hair, but her most prominent feature was a blood red tattoo, covering the right half of her face. She looked bewildered, almost scared of him. Yet, she reached out for a handshake. “Hey,” she said. “I know we’ve never met, but my name’s Adira, and I’ve been searching all over Old Corona for you.”

Soon after, Cassandra joined them at the door. “Varian? Who’s- Adira. _How nice to see you._ ” She possessively held onto her husband’s arm as she sneered at their guest.

“You two know each other?” Varian asked.

Adira seemed just as surprised. “You know her?”

“He’s my husband,” Cassandra deadpanned, pulling Varian closer. “You’re not going to take this away from me, Adira. Go back to where you came from.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. Varian, you and everyone you love is in danger."

Varian cocked an eyebrow. "Wait, you've been searching for me?"

Something about that question disturbed Adira. "I- I looked in the other house." That's where Quirin was. She didn't shed a tear, but her confident demeanor definitely faltered. "I'm sorry about your father. I wish I could do something."

Cassandra was growing impatient. She whipped out the dagger from her belt, and held it up to Adira. "You're old, you can't possibly beat me now. How in the hell do you know anything about Varian or his situation?"

"Because," Adira said with a sigh. "I'm Quirin's wife, and Varian's mother."


	2. Prototype

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adira meets the family.

Time seemed to stand still. Goosebumps grew on Varian’s arms as he waited for an explanation, his mouth suddenly dry and the air around him going cold.

“My mother’s dead. I’m sorry, but you have the wrong person,” he said, void of emotion. He tried not to look at the woman before him as he said, “Her name was Genevive. I don’t know much about her, but she was young and my father was older. She died soon after bringing me into this world because she was sick.” It was hard to cry about it, though- he barely knew her, after all.

Adira shook her head. “I was young, but that’s about the only truth to his story. I was a part of a group that Short Hair knows first hand about, and so was your father. I want to tell you more, but it’s not safe out here in the open.”

Cassandra just about had enough. “Varian, no. All Adira does is take from people without remorse. You’re not letting her into our house-“

But Adira had already invited herself in. “This will only take a minute. Then bridezilla can kick me out if you still don’t believe me.” She made herself at home, sitting on her son’s favorite armchair.

Again, that tore it for his wife. “Out. That’s his seat, and that’s the rule of this house. See, Var? This is what I’m talking about.”

“Don’t listen to her, son. She’s still petty because I took Rapunzel’s attention off of her for two seconds. Isn’t that right, Short Hair?” The elderly woman laughed, kicking back in the seat and really making herself at home. “As I was saying, the Brotherhood was so closely knit and we had to rely on each other to make sure all seven kingdoms were safe from an opal that could potentially destroy the world. Nobody relied on me like Quirin did. I relied on him too. From that reliance came intimacy- which I’m sure Short Hair here knows nothing about. From that closeness came you. But we had to separate, because we knew the other members of the Brotherhood would disapprove, and one of them would have tried to harm you. So we pretended your mother was Genevive, and she died when you were young. Any questions?”

Varian cocked an eyebrow, trying to soak it all in. “Yeah, just one- how can you prove it?”

“Hold out your left arm.”

Varian did as he was told. On his arm was a red dot birthmark, one he was told he’d gotten from his mother. He watched as Adira rolled up her sleeve and flashed her birthmark, one identical to his. That’s when he knew it was true.

“Mom?” He said slowly, tears brimming in his eyes. He’d only ever dreamed of getting to know his mother, but he’d long since abandoned that, thinking she was gone. Now here she was, in his living room.

“Great. Now our daughter’s sentimental name means nothing,” Cassandra griped. “Now I suppose you’re going to want her to stay, huh?”

Varian wasn’t paying any attention to her. That was a blow- she was so used to her and their daughter being the center of his universe. Maybe that was selfish, but she didn’t care.

Neither of them paid her any mind. Adira was too busy holding out her hand for her son to hold. When he took it, she said, “I hope you know I never wanted to leave you, Varian. You were my whole world for the few days I knew you.” She wasn’t one to cry, but soon, tears were welling up in her eyes. “When Hector said a man named Varian was learning too much about the moonstone, I thought ‘maybe this is a blessing,’ because then I’d have to come protect you. What I’m trying to say is, will you let me back into your life?”

Cassandra was putting her foot down. “No. No way. I was the one who took Hector down the first time. You being here just puts us in more danger, don’t you think?”

Her concerns fell on deaf ears. Varian was too busy sobbing and collapsing in Adira’s arms, hugging her tightly. “Yes! Of course, this is what I always wanted. Cassandra, isn’t this great?” He finally looked up at her to acknowledge her existence.

“No, no! This is not okay,” Cassandra piped up again. “Need I remind you this woman is dangerous, and we have a-“

“Mama!” Speak of the devil. Cass was just about to mention the baby when she called out, reaching her hands in the air. That was her signal that she wanted down from the high chair.

Adira gasped, leaping up from her post and running towards Genevive. “Is this my grandbaby? Oh my gosh!” She lifted the baby out of her seat and held her against her chest in a gentle hug. “Geez, you actually got Short Hair to-“

“Enough!” Cassandra shouted. She took Genevive and held her protectively, scowling over at Adira. “You can’t just come barreling back into our lives and put my husband and daughter in danger.”

“You don’t understand, Short H- Cassandra.” Adira finally said her name, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You already are in danger. But I am here to protect you, and I will do it with my life. Please let me.”

With Varian’s puppy-dog eyes and Adira’s sincerity, Cass started to crack, just a little. “You can stay the night. Get to know Varian while you can, because tomorrow you’re gone.” With a frown on her lips, she slipped away to hers and Varian’s bedroom, leaving the baby and her husband to get to know Adira.

After the dramatic exit, the white-haired woman finally spoke. “So, tell me who this little one is!”

Varian placed Genevive in her arms again. “This is Genevive, my greatest invention yet! …I’m an inventor, it’s kinda what I do these days.”

“Well, I think your prototype is perfect.” She finally looked down into the baby’s blue-gray eyes, and booped her nose. “I’m gonna call you ‘prototype.’ I’m your MiMi. Nice to meet you.” Genevive only cooed in response, but that’s all it took for Adira to become enthralled with her.


	3. Amber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian talks to his mother, and it's Quirin's turn to break out of prison.

“I have to do something, don’t I?” Cassandra asked, pacing the nursery floor. “If I don’t, he’s going to just replace me.”

“Dah,” Genevive babbled from her crib, standing up and hanging on the bars. She smiled when her mother approached her with a hairbrush- she always loved that.

As Cassandra combed her hair, she continued, “Help me think of something I can do. Maybe I can get him those nice beakers from the glass-blower he likes. But no, we don’ have it in the budget for that. I still have to feed you.” She set the brush aside with a sigh. “He has his mother back. Now all he needs is his father. Maybe I could break the rocks around him some…how…”

_“Hello, Quirin.” Cassandra smiled, running her hands over smooth, golden amber. “I promise I’m going to take care of your son. I’m marrying him tonight. We’ll bring you pictures and a slice of cake tomorrow, alright? Don’t go anywhere.” Jokes aside, Cassandra kissed the amber goodbye like she would kiss her own father on the cheek, and left._

“That’s it! The amber has something to do with those black rocks! And- and I know how to break those rocks! Do you think Adira would mind if I borrowed her sword?”

Genevive’s response was a happy squeal. “Ah!”

“Alright! I’m doing it!”

Outside, Varian and Adira were sitting on the couch and hardly noticed Cassandra leave the house.

“So,” Adira started, “How’d you meet Short Hair?” She could sense this was going to be quite a story, so she put her feet up over Varian’s lap and kicked back to enjoy it.

“Well, we met when I was fourteen and she was twenty-two. Now I know what you’re thinking and no, she made it clear I didn’t have a chance in hell until I was an adult. And even then, I still probably didn’t have a chance. She wasn’t interested in romance.”

“Oh, tell me this story has a happy ending.”

“It does! I went to jail!”

“Varian Quirinson!” Adira shouted, sitting up just to cross her arms. “That’s not how I didn’t raise you.”

Varian rolled his eyes and moved her feet to the floor after noticing mud from her shoes on the leather sofa. “I wasn’t done. I went to jail, and she went on this amazing adventure with the princess and her friends. When she came back, I was seventeen and still in jail. She came home, and got put on guard duty- and boy, was she glad to see me. I think she had a rough time out there and needed a friendly face. But we talked every day, and on my eighteenth birthday, I was free. The rest was history.”

Adira clasped her hands together and looked down at them. “I can tell she loves you, Varian- but I think you need to know something before we continue. I don’t want you to be surprised by her past.”

“I know everything about her, but go ahead, shoot.”

“Cassandra is very emotionally driven. You know she fights with her heart. Well… A big part of why she got involved in this situation is that she was in love with Rapunzel.”

Varian gulped. “Huh. You learn something new every day.”

* * *

 

The path from their current house to Varian’s old home was short. She ran with a stone sword almost half the length of her body, and as it dragged against the ground, it split the soil in two. Hopefully nobody would notice her absence.

When she arrived, she slammed the sword into the locked door, and it burst in half upon impact. The two sides swung inward, making a path for her to enter into the house. As she made her way through the halls, lantern in hand, she took into account all the cobwebs that accumulated since their wedding night. It had only been a few months since they’d gotten married, but she supposed the decaying house wasn’t on the same timeline.

She ventured down creaky stairs and into the lab, where she found her father in law. One swing, a clank. In chunks, amber fell to the floor. It was working. Again and again she struck at the hunk of rock, and it fell apart with each hit.

Finally, it was all said and done, and Quirin was laying on the floor, rubbing his eyes. “You’re not Varian…”


End file.
